Church stabbing Wakeley, Sydney: Bishop prays for attacker after boy stabs him during church service

A bishop who was stabbed during a Sydney service prayed for his alleged attacker moments after being stabbed, TheWSTNews Australia understands.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed at Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley – an incident which was broadcast on the church’s live stream.

The attacker, a 15-year-old boy, was seen approaching and stabbing the bishop several times in the head and torso at the altar, as parishioners screamed and ran to the priest’s aid.

Police said the perpetrator was known to police.

After the attack, an angry mob of around 2000 people swarmed close to the church with rioting breaking out and police struggling to maintain order.

A 15-year-old boy known to police has been arrested over the incident (he is pictured being held down by at least three people before police arrived at the scene)

Police said the boy had serious hand injuries amid rumors his finger was cut off during the melee. The officers had to barricade themselves inside the church with the boy for several hours while the violence continued outside.

“Reports are that he has injuries to his hands – I don’t know the extent of those injuries at this stage,” NSW Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland told the media.

He added: ‘His injuries are quite serious in his hand, he is quite upset and quite distraught.’

He has been taken to an undisclosed location, where he remains under police guard.

During the pandemic, Bishop Mar Mari became known for his criticism of both lockdowns and vaccines and his belief that Covid was ‘just another type of flu’.

His pastoral message on the website reads: ‘In our day and age, we believe that the most important and fundamental insight comes to the truth.

‘The world bombards the human race with so much information that we often lose our bearings in distinguishing the lie from the truth.’

This is a breaking story. More on the way